Euro 2016: Quarter-Final XI featuring Arsenal and West Ham stars

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The Quarter-Final round of the largest European Championship ever unfolded over four days of dramatic action, which culminated in probably the greatest result in Welsh football history, a 3-1 win over Belgium to progress to their first ever major tournament semi-final. They are therefore well represented in the last eight’s Team of the Round, but who else gets the nod after this week’s four enthralling ties?

Coach: Chris Coleman (Wales)

The former Fulham coach has taken Wales to the dizzy heights of a first major championship since 1958 in continuation of Gary Speed’s legacy, and judging by the display of his team in their historic Quarter-Final win over Belgium, he could just steer them to something even greater. They are now in uncharted territory, the smallest country by population to reach the last four of a European Championship.

In their Quarter-Final tie in Lille they showed the meaning of their Together Stronger motto, adhering to Coleman’s inch-perfect tactics in a scintillating display against Belgium. The Wales coach may have had prior knowledge of the way Belgium play from their qualifying clashes, but it still required precise preparation and execution of the game-plan.

Coleman’s five-man defensive setup is very much akin to that of Conte’s Italy, and the formation and tactics were pivotal to Wales coming from behind in their 3-1 victory, the wing-backs and compact three centre halves nullifying the threat of Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, allowing Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen to pull the strings in midfield. His final masterstroke of the game would be the introduction of forward Sam Vokes, who rose to steer a superb header beyond Thibaut Courtois to clinch the match after a swift counterattack.

Throughout the tournament, Coleman has encouraged his side to dream; drilling a hardworking team ethic into the squad around talisman Gareth Bale, and it is this togetherness which forms the crux of their success at these championships for which the manager deserves tremendous credit.

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Formation: 4-3-1-2

Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)

The Juventus stalwart was the more impressive of the two legendary keepers on show in Italy’s quarter-final penalty shootout defeat to Germany. He pulled off a breath-taking save to deny Mario Gomez from point blank range and was a calming presence throughout, constantly solid and in
command of his box. He saved superbly from Thomas Müller in the penalty shootout but was unfortunate to be on the losing side after Kevin Hector’s winning spot-kick just squirmed under his body.

Right-Back: Chris Gunter (Wales)

The Reading defender just beats off competition from Italy’s Alessandro Florenzi for the right-back spot. Gunter was tasked with shackling Eden Hazard in Wales’ quarter-final in Lille, and after a testing opening 15 minutes, he settled into his task well and was a dangerous presence going forward as Chris Coleman’s tactics were executed to perfection as Wales absorbed and counterattacked. Gunter got his just desserts late in the game, bursting forward on the break and crossing for Sam Vokes to head home the game clinching goal with minutes left. Gunter has been a key part of the Welsh side in their success in France and will need to remain consistent as Wales head into their first ever semi-final.

Centre-Back: Pepe (Portugal)

Pepe was arguably the best player on the pitch as Portugal held Poland to a 1-1 draw before edging out the tie on penalties. The hot-headed Real Madrid man kept his cool well here, using his physicality well and dominating against Poland’s lethal front partnership of Robert Lewandowski and Arkadiusz Milik. He was unplayable in the air, and a powerful presence with the ball on the ground. Little got beyond him in this match and Portugal will be hoping he takes that form forward into the semi-finals.

Centre-Back: Ashley Williams (Wales)

The Swansea City skipper has been an important cog in the clockwork that is the Welsh defence, but has looked a little short of his best at Euro 2016 so far. But when the big occasion came, the captain stood up to the plate with a superb performance against Belgium. His positioning was spot-on throughout, always in the right place at the right time when required to intervene defensively, and he wrote his name into Welsh history, nodding in the equaliser from a corner on the half-hour mark to begin a sensational comeback in Wales’ greatest ever victory. He will need to retain his form is Wales are to make history once more in the semi-final, a showdown against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.

Left-Back: Neil Taylor (Wales)

Another Welsh name makes the Team of the Round, and in this case it is Swansea left-back Neil Taylor. He was one of a few players who put his body on the line for Wales in their quarter-final clash, his defensive blocks and interventions foiling seemingly certain Belgian goals in the opening minutes as Wales dug in to absorb initial pressure before gaining a foothold in the game. Like his colleague Chris Gunter on the right, Taylor looked a danger going forward and was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet just before the break.